Effective Method to Collect Indoor Floating Aerosols Using Cooling Equipment

If we collect aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 with condensed water and obtain the solution, a sensing device can detect the viruses, and we can easily take prompt countermeasures. First, we predicted a condensation mass flow rate on a cooling surface. Next, we sprayed saltwater in a chamber and collected the aerosols using a collector equipped with a cooling unit and a fan. We defined Delta t ' based on the difference between the dew point and cooling surface temperatures. The collected liquid mass had a linear relation with Delta t '. There were slight differences related to the airflow rate. For evaluating the collection efficiency, eta c was determined as the ratio of the salt concentration of the collected liquid to that of the sprayed. As the liquid mass reduced, eta c increased. When the airflow rate increased by 40 m3/h, eta c increased from 10% to 28%. The airflow rates did not affect the one-pass collection efficiencies much. We also confirmed that the condensation prediction was accurate. When the airflow rate was 140 m3/h, the coefficient of determination was 0.97, and the maximum residual error was -0.85 mg/s. Based on the prediction, the concentration of test substances can increase by controlling the cooling capacity.

Automated summary

By collecting aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 with condensed water and using a sensing device, the viruses can be detected and prompt countermeasures can be taken. The concentration of test substances can be increased by controlling the cooling capacity.